The Dragon's Heart (Lochguard Highland Dragons #3) (4 page)

He motioned with his hand. “Understood. Now, get to it, woman. Show me your beautiful dragon.”

Ross’s words rang with honesty, not fake platitudes. Combined with the warmth and anticipation in his eyes, Lorna kicked off her shoes. “Right, then stand back.”

It was time to show Ross Anderson her dragon form.

~~~

Ross couldn’t stop smiling. After all these months, Lorna was finally going to share her dragon with him.

Of course, he didn’t think too much more on it as the woman tossed aside her jacket and moved her hands to the bottom of her jumper.
 

With a twinkle in her eye, Lorna raised the jumper inch by inch, slowly revealing the pale skin of her abdomen. Just as she would expose her breasts, she paused. “Are you sure you can survive this? I don’t want to give you a heart attack.”

He grinned. “It will be a hell of a way to die.”

Sighing, Lorna muttered something he couldn’t hear, apart from the last bit of him being “a pervy old human.”
 

He half expected her to stop and change her mind. Or, at the very least, to tell him to turn around. But something flashed in Lorna’s eyes and she tugged her jumper off in one swift motion. Her large breasts were encased in a black, lacy bra. He itched to touch them and feel their weight in his hands. But since he didn’t want to scare the dragonwoman off, he met Lorna’s eyes and chuckled. “Look who has fancy underthings.”

Placing her hands on her hips, Lorna raised her brows. “There’s nothing wrong with wearing things to make me feel pretty.”

“Love, you could be wearing nothing and still outshine the stars.” At the skepticism in Lorna’s eyes, Ross added, “Why are you stalling? You’re the one always complaining about the cold. The sooner you’re naked, the sooner you can shift into a dragon. Dragon’s don’t feel the cold as keenly, or so your children say.”

Lorna said nothing for a few seconds, and he wondered if he had said too much. Then the dragonwoman wiggled out of her stretchy leggings. Ross drank in every curve and valley of her form. “Lovely.”

Rather than reply, Lorna shucked her panties. Lorna hooked a finger under her bra, and Ross licked his lips. He’d spent many a night dreaming about those breasts.

Whatever shyness Lorna had possessed in the beginning was nowhere to be found as she slowly lowered one bra strap and then the other. Reaching behind her, Lorna smiled right before her bra fell to the ground. Ross’s mouth watered. Lorna’s plump skin was topped with pointy nipples. He couldn’t wait to take one into his mouth.

Lorna cleared her throat. “My face is up here, Ross.”

With one last look, he met Lorna’s whiskey-colored eyes. Her pupils flashed to slits and back. His voice was husky to his own ears as he replied, “I’ve had months to memorize your face, Lorna. From the slight tilt of your left eyebrow to the mole near your jaw. I may need a few months to similarly memorize the soft skin of your breasts, your abdomen, and that lovely arse of yours.”

Lorna’s cheeks flushed, and Ross’s ego went up a notch.

In the next second, Lorna’s skin glowed a faint green before her nose elongated into a snout, wings sprouted from her back, and her form stretched to a height over ten feet.
 

Ross barely had time to shut his dropped jaw before Lorna stood in the clearing in her green dragon form. As if wanting to add a little drama, she flicked her wings up and out. The wingspan had to be more than twenty feet.

As he continued to stare, Lorna shook her head, and it broke the spell.
 

Not wanting Lorna to change her mind and shift back, Ross walked slowly to her side. He moved his hand until it was an inch from her green-scaled side and met her large dragon eye. “I just want to make sure you’re not going to bite me if I pet you.”

After she flashed a grin, Lorna’s chest rumbled with what he assumed was a dragon chuckle.

The question had been more out of curiosity, but it seemed to have broken the tension. Ross gently ran a hand down Lorna’s side. The green, grooved scales were sleek but tough like hardened leather.

He kept his hand on Lorna’s side as he moved down her body. Once he stood under an outstretched wing, he reached up, but couldn’t quite make contact with the bat-like appendage. Lorna lowered her wing until he could lightly brush the thinner membrane between her wing bones. While tough, the skin was softer than her scales.

Chancing a glance over his shoulder, he found Lorna watching him with curiosity.
 
The dragonwoman was trying to hide it, but the tension of her body told him she was nervous. He needed to make her feel more at ease. “Don’t try to hurry me, woman. You’ll learn to appreciate my attention to detail later on. Believe me, I like to investigate every inch of your woman form. Maybe even with my tongue.”

Heat flashed in Lorna’s dragon eyes, and Ross resisted a chuckle. He didn’t want to push her too far.

He reluctantly lowered his arm and continued down her body to her tail. Lorna flicked it at him but stopped a few inches before it would hit him in the bollocks. At the sound of another dragon chuckle, he frowned and looked over his shoulder. “Smacking me there would be quite the loss for you, lass. Besides, we don’t want to risk breaking my old hip, now do we?”

He winked and Lorna shook her head. Ross could just imagine what the woman wanted to say.

Just as he stepped over her tail, Lorna wrapped the long appendage around his waist. She lifted him into the air and rotated until he was upside down. With a gentle shake, his keys and wallet fell out.
 

But he couldn’t be cross at the amusement dancing in Lorna’s eyes. He bet it’d been years since she’d played with anyone in her dragon form.
 

He still couldn’t believe she was sharing it with him.

A second later, he was back on his feet, and she released him. Ross moved to her head and petted Lorna’s snout. As he stared at the lovely green dragon in the late afternoon light, Ross murmured, “Thank you for sharing your dragon with me.”

~~~

Lorna was on the verge of tears. The usually stubborn, opinionated Ross Anderson was being kind and gentle. He’d even smiled as she dangled him from her tail.

For years, Lorna had wondered what she’d feel if she ever shared her dragon with a male she cared for. Would she feel guilty? Shy? Or, even angry for betraying her dead mate? Yet as she gazed into Ross’s eyes, it seemed all of her worries had been unfounded.

Her beast spoke up.
Of course they were.

I needed the time to heal, dragon. Jamie was our true mate; it wasn’t easy getting over him.

I know, but you just needed the right male to share it with.

Eyeing Ross as he continued to pat her nose, Lorna knew her beast was right. Seeing Stuart earlier had been nice, but the mere thought of shifting into a dragon and flying in the air with him made her stomach twist. Maybe Ross was what she needed. Being human, he was different from Jamie. That made it easier.

Her dragon huffed.
Whatever the reason, it’s now time to coax him into bed.

Not yet.

Why not? You know him well. He’s attractive and likes us. What else is there?

The children.

Her dragon grunted.
Fraser might never accept it.

Regardless, I need to talk with them before I make any long-term plans.

Fine. But there’s no harm in a little more kissing, now, is there?

Lorna didn’t disagree. Gently wrapping her talons around Ross’s middle, she lifted and placed him as far as she could reach. When she released him, she put up a paw. Ross nodded. “Aye, I understand. While you shift, I’ll fetch your clothes.”

As the handsome, mature human scrambled to pick up her discarded clothing, warmth tugged at her heart. Ross may not be a dragon-shifter, but he still would look after his female.

The only question was whether Lorna would find the balance between him and her children. As much as she cared for Ross, her children would always come first.

Imagining her snout shrinking, her wings morphing into her back, and her talons retreating to fingernails, Lorna decided she’d find out sooner rather than later.

Standing in the chilly air, Lorna wrapped her arms around her body. Ross rushed forth and wrapped her coat around her shoulders before running his hands to her lower back under the material and pulling her close. She tried to narrow her eyes but failed. “Someone has wandering hands.”

Grinning, Ross gently squeezed her waist. “And you say that like it’s a bad thing.”

“My breasts are off limits, for now, Anderson. Try it, and see what happens.”

Ross chuckled. “We’ll save those beauties for later.” Nuzzling her cheek, he murmured, “But I’m impatient for another kiss.”

Between his heat and scent, Lorna wanted nothing more than to curl up against him and revel in his long arms around her. But before she could do that, she needed a MacKenzie family meeting.

However, she tilted her head toward Ross and whispered, “Just one and then we need to head back. Everyone is due for dinner soon, and you know what happens when the MacKenzie horde doesn’t eat on time.”

“Aye, all hell breaks loose.”

She lightly slapped his chest. “That is my family you’re talking about.”

“They are, but I say it with love.”

She snorted. “Right, if you say so. I might just take back my request for a kiss.”

“No bloody way I’m allowing that to happen,” Ross growled before taking her lips in a rough kiss.

Lorna sighed at his touch and welcomed his tongue. The human didn’t hesitate before dominating her mouth.

Her dragon spoke up.
Just imagine what else he can do with that tongue.

Pervy dragon.

That’s what happens after so many years of celibacy. When can we have him? All of him?

Maybe tonight. I’ll talk to the kids at dinner.

Before her dragon could reply, Ross moved a hand to her left arse cheek and squeezed. Lorna moaned as she pulled Ross closer.

Now that she’d overcome her fear and guilt, Lorna was nearly as impatient as her dragon to get her human naked and above her.

Chapter Four

Once Lorna was dressed again, Ross threaded his fingers through hers. He waited to see if she would pull away or if she’d allow him to make such a claim in front of the clan.

She looked down at their clasped hands and then met his gaze. Raising her brows, she asked, “Make very certain of this, Ross. Not everyone is going to welcome you with open arms. They may have tolerated you during your recovery and because of Holly, but stealing away one of their females is quite different.”

“Are you talking about that bloke from this morning?”

Lorna blinked. “You saw that?”

“Aye, I did. Who is he?”

“Well, his name is Stuart MacKay and once upon a time, I was going to mate him.”

Ross frowned. “Before or after Jamie?”

“Before. I dated Stu for about a year before I even noticed Jamie. Stu and I had an argument, and shortly after, Jamie snuck a kiss from me at a gathering. I hadn’t thought anything about it at the time and rather thought kissing someone else would convince me to give Stu another chance. However, the kiss started the mate-claim frenzy.”

Squeezing Lorna’s fingers, he asked, “So you weren’t in love with Jamie MacKenzie at first?”

She shook her head. “No. I fancied him a bit, but the love came later. Stu didn’t take it well but left me alone because I was carrying Jamie’s child. Or, rather, as we found out later, the twins.” She smiled at him. “Eventually, Stu found his own mate with a human female. The old leader kicked him out of the clan because of his human mate. He and his brother, Euan, helped to found Clan Seahaven.”

“That’s why I haven’t seen him before.”

“Aye. He surprised me this morning, but apparently, he’s acting as Seahaven’s representative and negotiating with Fergus.”

“He’d better not have made courting you part of the negotiations,” Ross growled.

“Don’t be ridiculous. Stu, and pretty much every Scottish dragon-shifter, knows that wouldn’t fly with me. You should know that too, Anderson. If not, then maybe I should rethink kissing you again.”

Tugging her to him, Ross wrapped his free arm around Lorna’s waist. “I don’t think you’d last long, lass. You were enjoying them earlier. You’d soon be going through withdrawals.”

Lorna rolled her eyes. “I half expected you to say they were the greatest gifts of my lifetime.”

He grinned. “I did think about it.” He winked and Lorna chuckled. “But the bigger question is whether you’re okay with me claiming you to the clan by holding your hand, especially before talking with your children. Fraser, in particular, might not be happy about it.”

She sighed. “He’s protective, like his late father. But leave Fraser to me. I was hoping we could talk to all of the children at dinner tonight. On the off chance we see them on the way home, I’ll handle it. Holding hands isn’t exactly a mate vow.”

“Well, for dinner, just make sure to hide the breakables.”

Hitting his chest, Lorna scowled. “There won’t be any throwing. I’m going to make that very clear at the beginning of our discussion.”

“Right, because the MacKenzies always sit prim and proper at the dinner table.”

“If anything happens, then stand your own. Otherwise, you won’t survive being part of the family.”

Ross’s heart skipped a beat. “So, you want me to be part of your family, Lorna?”

Searching his eyes, she finally murmured, “Perhaps, Ross. But you’re going to have to earn the place. Not just with me or my dragon, but my children as well.”

Lightly caressing her cheek, he answered, “Oh, I will. I think I’m already halfway there.”

Lorna frowned but then smiled. “I would deny it, but I’m too old to lie. I’ve grown used to having your around, human, so I hope you can win over more hearts than mine.”

He tried not to pin too much hope on Lorna’s mention of winning hearts. He was falling in love with her already. But Ross wasn’t going to rush things.
 

Best to distract both himself and Lorna with touch. “Oh, I’m quite the charmer, especially when I’m determined.” He kissed her jaw. “And believe me, Lorna, I’m determined to have all of you.” He nipped her bottom lip. “It should be a breeze.”